


in any universe there’s a me and there’s a you

by christchex



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Inception Fusion, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Middle Earth Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, everyone else makes an appearance - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-30 17:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20101108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/christchex/pseuds/christchex
Summary: No matter what universe, Michael and Alex find each other.





	in any universe there’s a me and there’s a you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reachedthebitterend](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reachedthebitterend/gifts).

> For Ly, who is just wonderful and beautiful and writes me all of the fluff and does shots in my honor. Also, it's her birthday. <3
> 
> Also, this is snippets of different universes where Michael and Alex always manage to find each other and fall in love.
> 
> Also, this is not beta'd because I just wanted to post it before the birthday was over. I am sorry for any mistakes! 
> 
> Enjoy!

_ Hogwarts _

They’d known each other for years, since they were 11 and scared of the future but so excited at the same time. Alex, away from the towering form of his father for the first time, embraced every once of freedom that Hogwarts had to offer. Michael, with a permanent roof over his head for the first time in his life, was ready to settle into the castle and stay there forever. For both of them, it was the first time they found home.

They found it again, a few years later, when they paired up in Potions class together. They’d shared the class for years, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs always did, but with the N.E.W.T. level classes, it was combined for the first time. It also meant that for the first time, Isobel had the choice of partner besides her brother. Technically, should could have paired with the other Slytherins, but she saw no point to it. Not when her brother was a genius and she could actually trust him to pull his weight in class.

Now she sat next to Liz Ortecho, under the guise of bonding because of Liz’s new relationship with Max, but Michael knew better. Liz was the best, better than Michael he’d admit. Isobel always had to be with the best.

Michael looked around the room. It was not crowded, not many people wanted to take N.E.W.T. level Potions if they could help it. Liz and Isobel were at the table next to him. Kyle Valenti was behind them. He was engaged in his second favorite activity, trying to get a rise out of Alex Manes. It wasn’t working, it almost never worked, not since their 5th year when they had their falling out, not since Kyle said something about Alex’s dad and Alex threw a punch. Michael had been the one to break the fight up. He remembered the fire in Alex’s eyes, and the betrayal. 

“Hey Manes,” he called over. “Want to be my partner?”

It was asked on impulse, but he found that he didn’t mind the idea. Alex was smart. Alex was committed. Michael could stand to be partnered with him for a year. Besides, it wasn’t as if they worked on the same potion at this level. They just sat next to each other and shared a brewing space. He could deal.

Within a month he realized he really could not deal. He couldn’t deal with Alex’s snart, with Alex’s wit, with Alex’s determination. He couldn’t deal with how Alex smelled, the way his smile would light up his face, with his warm eyes.

Michael was not the kind of person who got crushes. He dated around, slept around really, but none of it was deep. He didn’t do deep. He didn’t do caring, not now anyway, not when he was so close to graduation, of leaving, of going on to study at muggle university and learn how to bridge their science and his magic. Alex Manes made him want to care. He agreed when Alex suggested study session- Michael could use the help with Muggle Studies and Alex with Astronomy, plus they already worked together in Potions. Michael also didn’t want to pass up an opportunity to spend time with Alex outside a classroom, when Alex was dressed down in his dark, tight muggle clothing he always hid under his robes. 

Michael didn’t want to pass up any opportunity to be around Alex, ever. So, one day when they had just finished a particularly grueling Potions essay, Michael did not hesitate when Alex leaned over, hand on Michael’s thigh, to kiss him. Michael did not hesitate to lean in, to rest his hand on Alex’s neck.

At the end of the year, they sat side-by-side on the train as they discussed the house warming party they planned for their new home.

-

_ I wanted to make music _

Alex had been on the road for months. He almost forgot what it felt like to not be traveling. Maria cuddled up next to them as they traveled down the New Jersey Turnpike, a quick jump from their two shows in New York to their night in Philadelphia. The quick drive meant they had down time, barely, and Alex was ready to take any moment he could.

“Max’s brother-or something- is in Philly,” Maria said, voice muffled. She had wrapped herself around Alex the moment he sat down and put her head into the curve of his shoulder. Alex took comfort in her warmth, despite how cold the tour bus was. He never wanted to travel in the Northeast during winter ever again.

“Yeah, they were in foster care together, right?” Alex asked, eyes shut. He should go to his bunk. He should make Maria go to her too. He was too comfortable to even suggest it.

“Mhmm,” she agreed sleepily. “Liz got him to come to the show. They’re gonna surprise Max on Facetime or something.”

Alex let his eyes drift closed. The gentle rocking of the bus brought him all the way to sleep.

He woke up from his nap groggy and ready for some coffee. He looked up the closest coffeeshop to the venue and asked if anyone had any requests.

They did. Of course they did.

He walked to the shop and waited in life. An apology was already on his tongue when he stepped up to the counter. Except, when he looked up, he saw the most gorgeous man. Instead of the apology, the only thing that came out of his mouth was, “fuck.”

The man just laughed.

“What can I get for you gorgeous?”

Even his voice was beautiful.

Alex gave him everyone’s order, face flushed, and apologized. He paid, tipped generously, and waited for the drinks. When his order was ready he gathered it all together and realized that he never actually ordered anything for himself.

He slunk back to the register, face bright red, and the beautiful man smiled when he saw him.

“Forget something?” He asked with a laugh.

“Yeah,” Alex replied, “I forgot to get my own.”

The man laughed again. “What can I get for you?”

“Iced coffee? Black?”

“You sure about that?”

No. Absolutely not, Alex was not sure about anything besides the knowledge of just how embarrassed he was.

“Yeah,” he cleared his throat. “Yeah, just a black iced coffee.”

The man smiled again and went to grab it for him.

“How much?”

“Nothing, it’s on the house. And don’t try to argue, ok? It’s only a little coffee.”

Alex, still too embarrassed to say anything, left another tip and left.

He never noticed that name, the note and the number written in black marker on his cup, though he didn’t stop thinking about the cute barista even during soundcheck.

It wasn’t until after the show, when Liz was walking toward them with the gorgeous barista that Alex learned his name- Michael, Max’s foster brother.

Michael just laughed at Alex’s flushed face and asked for his phone.

“This way you actually see my number darlin’,” he said with a drawl. “I’m almost finished my master’s program, and I’ll be back in Roswell after that,” he said after an evening of talking. Alex’s earlier embarrassment was forgotten in the face of Michael’s smile. “I know you guys still live there. Hopefully I see you around.”

Alex was barely out of the city, old iced coffee cup in hand, when he sent Michael his first text.

_ I think you’re cute too _ .

-

_ Werewolves _

Michael had no pack. He was alone, had no pack, and he knew he wouldn’t survive the winter. He didn’t know what happened to the rest of his pack, all he knew was that he was alone in the mountains and he couldn’t hear the call of his cousins, he couldn’t smell the comforting scent of his mother.

Michael wandered around the clearing, the little bit of flat land he found during his wandering. He could smell human, slightly covered by the snow. The snow was old, almost melted into nothing in the light of the clearing. The human scent was old too. To Michael’s still young nose it smelled like they hadn’t been there for days, though he knew how the snowmelt could mask and wash away the scent.

He hoped they wouldn’t return, not until he was someplace far away and safe. For now, he allowed himself a moment to enjoy the sunlight on his fur. The dense cover of the trees didn’t allow for a lot of sunlight. He had hunted the day before, he wasn’t hungry, but the sight of the winter berry bushes made him ache for two-legged food instead of four. He waited a moment, to allow himself the time to search- are there predators? Am I safe?- before he transformed.

He still wasn’t good at it, it was long and still a little painful. His mother had said that it would come with practice, but he had spent so much time alone as a wolf since he’d last seen his mother that any practice he once had was useless. 

It hurt. His limbs stretched, his muscles spasmed, and he could feel his awareness of the world diminish.

Those winter berries had to be worth it.

He knew, too, that he had to turn two-legged for fear of turning feral, for forgetting his true nature and staying full-wolf forever.

The berries were tart and juicy. Michael licked his fingers clean and thought that his momentary vulnerability was worth it. As was his slight chill, increased body heat meant little in winter when he had no fur to protect him.

He turned back, body experiencing just as much pain on the way to four legs, and decided that until any new signs of humans showed, he would come back to the clearing to transform and eat.

The transformation distracted him for the snap of a twig as a small, dark haired boy ran away.

Michael returned every day for two weeks. He could smell humans, but they were still far off and none had showed in his clearing itself. He had just completed his two-legged transformation when a sound caught his ears. He looked over and saw a boy, roughly his own age and fully human.

“Sorry,” the human said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Michael dropped to all fours, ready to transform back and run.

“No- wait!” The boy stepped forward. “I have a cloak for you! And some bread! You always seem cold when you transform and I thought-”

Michael cut him of. “You’ve seen me transform?” His voice was scratchy. Speaking hurt, it had been such a long time since he’d done so.

“Yes,” the boy said as he moved closer. “Every few days, when I get the chance to leave home. It’s the first time I got to bring anything though, I’m sorry.” The boy looked contrite as he held the cloak out to Michael.

“Why,” Michael did not frame it as a question. “And how.”

“You’re cold and alone,” the boy said, as if it were obvious. “There are no other wolves here, haven’t been for years. I don’t know how you ended up here, but I wanted to help. My name’s Alex, by the way.”

“I’m Michael,” he replied. “But how did you watch me? I had no idea you were there.”

“Oh,” the boy brought his hand to the collar of his shirt and pulled out an amulet. “My mother’s protection charm. It keeps me safe from most things. I guess werewolves are included in that.”

The boy smiled.

Michael smiled back.

-

_ Soulmates _

“Michael! Show me!” Isobel exclaimed as soon as she saw him walk into The Crashdown. 

It was August and it was his birthday, apparently. Isobel and Max had gotten their marks back in May. It had hurt Michael, that there was another thing that they shared that he didn’t. At the time it felt like the world was ending. Now, months later, he had come to terms with the fact that they weren’t related, or at least they weren’t triplets like he always secretly hoped.

Their mars had shown up overnight, vivid patterns of purple for Isobel and red for Max. There was no question for Max, he knew that Liz Ortecho’s mark matched his pattern with his own soul color of forest green. Isobel had shrugged and said, “at least it’s pretty” and hadn’t thought of it since.

It was August and Michael had been helping out Mr. Sanders with a particularly stubborn engine when his side burned. He looked down and saw the deep, midnight blue that looked more black on his skin. He had texted Isobel immediately.

_ Well,  _ he typed,  _ I guess we know when my birthday is now _ .

Her response had been to come The Crashdown immediately.

They were always at The Crashdown now, with Max wanting to spend all his time with Liz. Isobel had swallowed her pride and gone too, despite her disdain for Maria DeLuca. Michael didn’t understand why Isobel disliked her so much, but he had his suspicions that the dislike was a facade. He’d seen Isobel eyeing the visible edges of Maria’s peach mark.

“Fuck Is, let me get settled,” Michael said to Isobel as he approached the booth. Isobel was on the end, ignoring the cuddling couple of Max and Liz next to her. Maria and Alex Manes were on the opposite side of the booth.

“Absolutely not Michael,” she replied. “I want to see!”

Michael looked at the rest of the table and debated on whether he really felt like lifting his shirt in the middle of the diner.

He decided he didn’t care. Isobel would just manhandle him anyway.

He lifted his shirt to reveal the intertwined lines of his mark, more obviously blue but still deep and dark.

He heard a gasp and the sound of the metal milkshake cup hit the table. Michael looked over and saw Alex’s wide eyed stare at his side. He watched as Alex pushed up his left sleeve to reveal his mark, the lines the same intertwined pattern as Michael’s, but a deep rust-orange color.

“Fuck,” was all Michael said.

-

_ Middle Earth _

Their people had hated each other for millenia, for a time so long many believed that it was forever. That wasn’t true, of course, the elves and the dwarrows lived together, collaborated together, until the time of the Great Deceiver, but few still lived that remember that time. The Lady Galadriel was only just a girl, though already she was as bright as the morning star.

Michael understood why generations of dwarrows feared her. Michael had been in the caves of  Khazad-dûm, he understood what it meant to stand before something so beautiful that you were filled with both joy and fear.

He felt it now, as he stood at the edge of a mountain filled with the dead. He felt it tremble in his stone bones, in his amrâb, in his very being. The mountain had none of the light and love that Mahal put into the dwarrows, that the dwarrows put into their dwellings and their mines. It was cold and lonely and loathsome. 

Alex of the Mirkwood stepped through the mountains gates, into the dark tunnel, and Michael knew that his pride as a dwarrow was at stake. When would a dwarrow tremble before a mountain and an elf walk calmly into it?

Mahal help him if his family ever finds out.

Still, it gave him comfort, knowing that his friend would walk into the mountain without a second thought. He let his mind wander even as he tightened his hand on his axe. The mountain haunted him, haunted his senses where any other mountain would sing, but his mind was on another dwelling, another mountain with a large harth, a forge, and a bed that he would have to make longer to accommodate Alex’s larger form. Dreams of the future helped warm Michael’s  amrâb as they climbed deeper into the mountain, as the shades of the dead appeared and accosted the travelers.

_ It was made for the dead _ , the shades rasped.

“Come, melleth-nin,” Alex said as he twirled a piece of Michael’s dark honey curls. Mahal knew Michael should tell him that it’s not done, that no one but your One should touch in such a manner, but Michael didn’t care. Mahal made him as he was, and he has come to accept that that meant his other half was an elf.

If they survived this war, Michael would ensure that he never went without his elf ever again.

-

_ Dreamsharing _

It had been years but Michael never forgot what it was like to work with Alex. His attention to detail, his single-minded focus, his determination. 

Of course, at the time Michael knew it through sex and not actually through dreamsharing, but it’s the thought that counted really. At the time Michael was a specimen and Alex and soldier and they really should never have met in the first place.

“Alex? You’re working with him?” Michael asked when Kyle Valenti approached him in Mumbai. Christ, he hadn’t seen Valenti in years, not since his father had helped Michael and his siblings escape. He hated him then, head full of stories of the torment Kyle had put Alex through when they knew each other. He hated him still, because he was an ass, snarky, and too fucking good at his job and he knew it.

The fact that Alex was working with him hurt. Alex hadn’t even tried to find him.

“Yes,” Kyle replied, voice placating, as if Alex was a topic that would set Michael off. Admittedly, he was right, just not about why. “He said you’d be here. He also said that it may take a bit to convince you at first, once I tell you the target.”

“Alex knew where to find me?” Michael tried not to think about that, about how Alex apparently knew where he was but hadn’t tried to get to him.

“Yes.” That was all that Kyle said.

“Ok,” Michael said after a minute of uncomfortable silence. “Who’s your target.”

“Jesse Manes.”

Michael froze, scarred left hand stretched out halfway to his whiskey.

Jesse Manes was the target. Christ. Michael never wanted to go anywhere near Jesse Manes ever again. Not after Project Somnacin, not after Michael’s captivitiy, his torture, his unwilling introduction into the world of dreamsharing. Not after Jesse Manes tore apart the only good thing in Michael’s god damned life.

“No.”

“He said you’d say that. He wanted me to tell you something else.”

Michael gave Kyle an expectant look.

“We’re doing Inception.”

Michael just stared at Kyle. It wasn’t possible.

“It’s not possible.”

“Alex says it is,” Kyle paused and took a deep breath. “He also said to tell you that this will work. This will work and you can finally come home when it does.”

Kyle put a folded piece of paper on the table. It was old, discolored. Michael could see where the paper had been folded and unfolded over and over.

He didn’t have to open it to know what it was. It was the last piece he had of Alex, left behind at Jim Valenti’s safe house when he fled with Max and Isobel. It was an address in New Mexico with one line of writing underneath.

_ I love you. Come home. _

“I’ll do it.”

-

_ The Internet _

Michael didn’t want to admit that the only YouTube channel he was subscribed to was this no name musician, but at the same time the guy was talented. And hot. He was really fucking hot too. Michael almost couldn’t believe it. The guy’s voice was beautiful, his range was to die for, and christ. Ok, Michael looked and his lips and could imagine every possible thing they could do.

But he totally didn’t, because this guy was a stranger and that would be weird. Except, he really wanted to know what they felt like, were the soft? How did his laugh sound, did his smile stretch his lips wide or did he keep his smiles small and soft? So yes, it wasn’t just that the guy was gorgeous and talented. Michael kinda wanted to know everything about him.

He didn’t comment, he didn’t force himself on the guy in any way. He just liked each video and rewatched them often. He had a line he refused to cross.

That line blurred one day, when Michael got the email saying there was a new video. He waited until after work to watch, that way he could use his computer and the better speakers. He stopped when he saw the video description. He almost couldn’t believe it.

_ Hey guys, this is something a little different. I’ve been listening to this really awesome Podcast, about an alien world called Antar, and it’s kinda awesome. The narrator’s voice is to die for and he has a show coming up in Sante Fe soon. Basically, I wrote a theme song for it and I’m not ashamed that I am a fanboy. _

_ Enjoy! _

Alex Manes liked his Podcast. Fuck, Alex Manes has listened to his Podcast at all, let alone enjoyed it!

For the first time since he found Alex Manes’ YouTube channel, he broke his no commenting rule and replied:

_ Hey, I’m Michael and I do the Antar Attacks! Podcast. I’m a big fan and I loved this song. I’d like to talk to you about using it, or collaborating or something. _

Less than an hour later Michael had an email in the Podcast’s inbox.

Three weeks later, Michael had a new boyfriend and someone to help him add more music to his show.


End file.
